Alaska certificate of need
Alaska has a certificate of need program, run by Alaska Department of Health (decision by the commissioner). It covers 7 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Services covered
- 7
On this page
Alaska CON program
Alaska has a certificate of need program, run by Alaska Department of Health (decision by the commissioner). It covers 7 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Program
- Certificate of Need
- Application fee
- Nonrefundable fee: $2,500 for an activity valued at $2,500,000 or less; above that, 0.1% of estimated cost, capped at $75,000 (7 AAC 07.079).
- Review timeline
- After the department notifies the applicant that the application is complete, it has 60 days to submit its analysis and recommendation to the commissioner. Review may be deferred up to 60 days to batch competing applications, and the commissioner may extend periods by up to 30 days in listed cases (AS 18.07.045).
- Recent changes
- CON is required for spending above the statutory threshold (base $1,000,000 raised $50,000 a year from 2005 through 2014, i.e. $1,500,000) on building a facility, changing bed capacity or adding a category of service; converting space to a licensed nursing home always needs a CON. Repeal bills have been introduced (e.g., SB 8 in the 33rd Legislature, whose fiscal note proposed a July 1, 2026 repeal date), but the statute as currently published by the Legislature still contains the program.
- Statute
- AS 18.07.021–18.07.111; 7 AAC 07
Services that need a certificate of need
- hospitals (including psychiatric and tuberculosis hospitals)
- skilled nursing facilities / nursing home beds
- intermediate care facilities
- residential psychiatric treatment centers
- ambulatory surgical facilities
- kidney disease treatment centers / freestanding dialysis
- independent diagnostic testing facilities
Frequently asked questions
Does Alaska have a certificate of need law?
Alaska has a certificate of need program, run by Alaska Department of Health (decision by the commissioner). It covers 7 kinds of services, listed below.
How long does a Alaska CON review take?
After the department notifies the applicant that the application is complete, it has 60 days to submit its analysis and recommendation to the commissioner. Review may be deferred up to 60 days to batch competing applications, and the commissioner may extend periods by up to 30 days in listed cases (AS 18.07.045).
How much is a Alaska CON application?
Nonrefundable fee: $2,500 for an activity valued at $2,500,000 or less; above that, 0.1% of estimated cost, capped at $75,000 (7 AAC 07.079).